Snap hook



W. H. MOORE.

SNAP HOOK. APPLICATJON. FILED DEC-29, 1920- Pat'enged Feb. 28, 1922.

JNVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Dorris, in the county of each other,

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. MOORE, or DORRIS, CALIFORNIA.

SNAP HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed December 29, 1920. Serial No. 433,852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, YVILLIAM H. Moore, a citizen of the United States, residing at Siskiyou and State of California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Snap Hooks, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to safety snap hooks and has for its object to provide a device of this character which prevents accidental disengagement of a member disposed within the hook portion ofthe device.

Another object is to provide a device of this character wherein the end portions'of the hook areextended away from each other to provide an entrance for the member to be engaged with the hook.

Another object is to provide a device of this character consisting of a single length of material having its ends curved toward to provide a loop member, the extremity of said ends being canted toward each other to assist in guiding the member engaged with the hook when it is desired to disengage the member from the hook.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the extremities are canted not only to guide the member engaged with the hook, when the same is about to be removed, but to prevent accidental disengagement of said member by uiding the same in a direction away from t 1e points of exit of the hook.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more articularly described, fully claimed and il ustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of a safety snap hook constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure & is a fragmentary view of one of the ends of the hook.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a length of material which is bent at its intermediate portion to provide arms 5 and 6 and an intermediate bearing portion 7, a sleeve 8 surrounding vent friction and wear when a member is engaged with the sleeve. The arms 5 and 6 the portion 7 to preare extended toward each other to provide a loop 9 large enough to receive a strap, or the like for engagement with the sleeve 8.

The arms 5 and 6 are then skewed upon and inspaced relation to each other as at 10 to complete the loop 9, and permit the snap hook to adjust itself when the ring B is being applied. The remaining portions of the armsG and 5 are then extended outwardly away from' each other. The end portion 11 of the arm 5 is curved backupon the arm with the extremity 12 disposed in spaced relation to the arm. The end portion 13 of the arm 6 is likewise extended back upon said arm with its extremity 14 disposed in spaced relation thereto. In other words, the extremities of the arms or the portions 11 and 12 are coiled substantiallyin parallel planes and frictionally'engaged one with the other to hold the skewed portions of said arms in spaced relation to each othen By this means, a loop 15 is formed through the cooperation of the end portions 11 and113, and adapted to receive the ring B or" like member. It will be noted that the extremi ties 12 and 1 1 are extended slightly inwardly of the loop and have their confronting portions canted, said extremities being disposed adjacent each other. By this novel means, when the ring B or like member is applied to the hook it is practically impossible for the same to become accidentally disengaged as the canted portions substan tially close the entrance to the loop 15 and thereby prevent movement of the ring into the upper portion of the loop 15 when the ring is disposed transversely of the loop. In addition to this the lower portions 16 and 16 of the ends 11 and 13 are curved outwardly away from each other to provide an entrance 17 which facilitatesthe insertion of a ring or like member. The portions 18 and 18 of the ends 11 and 13 are frictionally engaged with the adjacent portions of the arms 5 and 6. By this means the device is rendered compact, and the extremities 11 and 14 are so positioned that they do not come in contact with any object which would tend to distort the hook or prevent efficient operation ofthe same.

Another important feature, is that when it is desired to remove the ring from the loop the same is extended obliquely of the loop 15 so as to simultaneously engage the arms canted extremities 12 and 14 cooperate with 5 and 6. When in this position, the I i the arms to provide a channel through which the ring passes, so that in this way the ends are prevented from the removal of the ring.

In the use of the device, the ring 13 is disposed in the entrance 17 and then moved towards the loop so as to separate the arms 5 and 6. After the ring passes beyond the extremities 12 and 14, the resilient force of the arms and portions 10 cause the end portions 11 and 13 to move toward each other thereby causing thehook to be discharged into the loop 15. The ring is then guided by the canted extremities 12 and 14: toward the lower portion of the hook, it being'impossible to remove the rings until thesame is disposed in the first mentioned position as the canted extremities prevent the ring'from coming in contact with the exit portions of the ends 11 and 13.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that this invention provides a novel form of snap hook which is safe in every respect in that it positively prevents accidental disengagement of a ring or like membercarried by the hook but at the same time, permits removal of the hook when desiredfi Inaddition to this, theskewed portions 10 serve to increase the resiliency of thehook and thereby facilitate movement of the [arms 5 and 6. It will also be noted that the separated lower portions 16 and 16 provide two separate supports for the ring or member eninterfering with gaged with the hook in view of the fact that these portions are disposed in spaced relation to each other. :This feature also permits the ring to force the portions 16 and 16 toward each other so that the pressure of the ring on the hook serves to hold the end portions 11 and 13 in their closed positions. All of these features are possessed by a device that canbe made from a single length of material and in view of its simplicity can be used indefinitely.

What is claimed is p [A snap hook of the character described consisting of a length of resilientmaterial having its end portions extended toward each other adjacent the central portion of said length and across eachother to provide a resilient loop, each end portion being offset in opposite directions with respect to the loop and at the junction of said loop-and said end portions, said end portions being then extended a substantially in divergent relation to each other, the extremity of each of said end portions being coiled inwardly toward the coil of the opposite end portion, said offset portions beingspaced from each other to permit the resilient loop to urge the coils into frictionaleng'agement with each other. r I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

WILLIAM H. MOORE. 

